Garment hanger with latch released jaws



Oct. 13, 1964 n. D. CATES 3,152,737

GARMENT HANGER WITH LATCH RELEASED JAWS Filed Nov. 2, 1962 Dafror d 0. Cafes INVENTOR.

BY m/mu aforementioned hanger.

United States Patent 3,152,737 GARMENT HANGER WITH LATCH RELEASED JAWS Dafford I). Cates, 1042 Lewis St., Pomona, (lalif. Filed Nov. 2, 19162, Ser. No. 234,999 6 Claims. (Cl. 223-96) The present invention relates to a garment hanger of a type wherein a pair of opposed spring-biased jaws clampingly grip the suspended portion of the garment and has reference, more particularly, to improved latch released aws. r

A general objective is to improve upon and minimize the number of component parts which are embodied in the combination with a view toward increasing the efiiciency of the structure, as an entity, and also with the idea of rendering the finished product less costly to manufacture and sell to the mutual advantage of all concerned.

More particularly, the invention has to do with a hanger construction which is an improvement on my prior Patent 3,050,222 dated August 21, 1962. Reference to the stated patent will reveal that it is characterized by a triangulate hook-suspended hanger having a pair of depending legs which are movable toward and from each other, said legs provided at lower ends thereof with turned in juxtaposed arms and said arms having depending terminal portions carrying a pair of opposed jaws. Resilient rneansis embodied in the hanger and functions to bias or I spring the legs in a direction normally away from each whereby to urge the jaws into garment gripping relationship. Several"garment-triggered latch devices are utilized in a manner to hold the jaws in spaced apart relationship,

and to permit the same to bereleased when the latch means istriggered by pressure applied thereto; that is, when a portion of the garment isengaged with said latch conjunction therewith which" is trippable when a part of the garment is manually positioned between opposed faces of the 'jaws, whereby to begripped thereby when the jaws are spring biased to assume the intended cooperative garment clamping relationship.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention opposed inner faces of the parallel arms are provided with lugs. These lugs constitute detents and are movable into abutting relationship in a manner to retain the jaws in spreadapart ready-to-function relationship, said detents being releasably engaged by spring means embodied in the .Also, and as will be hereinafter more readily evident,

I the present advance :in the art embodies pivoted latch means mounted on a shield carried by the aforementioned arms and wherein said latch means is provided at a lower end portion thereof with a simplified trigger which is readily tripped by pressure applied thereto by a portion of the garment contacting the same.

Then, too, novelty is predicated on a crank-shaped latch "ice v panying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing the improved hanger on a closet or equivalent pole, showing the garment gripping jaws spread apart in relation to the in tervening trousers cuffs and illustrating the cuffs coming into contact or engagement with the latch triggering means;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating certain of the details;

FIGURE 3 is a section on the section line 3-3 of FIG.

2, looking in the direction of the indicating arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a view in section andelevation similar to FIG. 3 and differing therefrom only in that the latch has been triggered by pressure of the garment against the trigger means; and

FIGURE Sis a fragmentary detail view with parts in section and elevation emphasizing the construction and engaged relation of the detents.

Referring first to the overall showing in FIG. 1 the numeral 6 designates a clothes closet support pole or an equivalent member on which various types of garment hangers are customarily suspended. The numeral 8 designates a garment which is to be hung up or suspended. Here the garment is illustrated as a pair of trousers and the cuffs are denoted at 10 and these are significant in that they accomplish the desired latch triggering detent disengaging result.

The hanger is characterized by a pair of depending spaced cooperating legs 12 and 13. The legs are preferably spring biased and as a matter of fact are preferably joined by a coil spring 14 the tension of which serves to normally spring the legs 12 away from each other. A hanger hook 15 is swivelly connected at 16 to a clasp or cleat 17 which is operatively connected with the junctional upper end portions of the legs 12 and 13 by way of the coil spring 14. The lower end portions of the legs are provided with turned in arms 18 and 19 the ends of which are laterally downturned as at 20 and 21, these portions 20 and 21 being rigidly joined to median portions of the opposed parallel horizontally elongated wooden or equiv 'jaws 22 and 23 in spaced-apart ready-to-clamp position comprises simple detents. More specifically the arm 18 is provided on an inner lengthwise side 26 with a triangulate lug 27 which is releasably cooperable with a similar triangulate lug 28 which is provided on the inward lengthwise side or surface 29 of the aforementioned arm 19.

' The edges 30 are adapted to. overlap and abut each other whereby the lugs constitute ready-to-use detents. The spring tension imposed on the lugs 27 and 28 and the manner in which they are engaged in FIG. 5 functions to having a horizontal upper arm'pivoted in a plane above the lug-equipped arms and having a vertical part thereof 7 depending between the last-named arms and having the ment-gripping or clamping jaws to come into play.

These together with other objects and advantages which I will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of constructionand operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accomretain a set position of the lugs or detents and arms, as

illustrated and is evident. It is desired to protectively ena close the releasably engageable detents and this is accomplished through the medium of a simple guard or shield 32. The shield comprises a simple substantially U-shaped metal or equivalent clip whose curvate bight portion 34 embraces a side of the arm 18 and isfixed thereto. The limbs 36 of the clip straddle the two arms 18 and 19 and V the free ends of the limbs 36 are curved and directed toward each other as at 38 and these end portions cooperate with the detached arm 19. In other Words the clip 32 is secured to one arm 18 and isfree of positive or direct connectionwith the other arm 10. The construction and arrangement or" the clip is such that the arms may be positioned in close together relationship as shown in FIG. 3. Here, the lugs or detents 27 and 28 are in abutting armholding relationship. The clip also allows the two arms 18 and 19 to spring apart in the limited manner or relationship illustrated in FIG. 4 when the detents or lugs have been disengaged and consequently released.

The clip means is also novel in that it is provided on the upper member 35 with a pair of upstanding ears 40 having bearing holes 42 for assembling and journaling the horizontal limb 4 of the crank-shaped latch 46. The depending or vertical limb 43 of the latch is located in the space between the arms 18 and 19 as illustrated in the several views of the drawing. The lower end of the latch arm 48 is provided with a substantially 'L-shaped trip or trigger having its component portions 50 and 52 arranged to cooperate with the jaws and that portion of the edges of the cuffs crossed thereby in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1.

The mode of operation of the invention corresponds to that revealed in my prior Patent 3,050,222. With reference to FIG. 1 it will be evident that the user is about to place the cuff portions 10 of the trousers 8 into a position between the then open or spread-apart jaws 22 and 23. The jaws are spread apart by squeezing'the legs 12 and 13 of the triangulate hanger together with the result that the relative movement of the arms 18 and 19 Will function to engage the detents 27 and 28 with each other in the manner illustrated in particularity in FIG. 5, and as a matter of fact, illustrated in FIG. 2 in dotted lines and FIG. 3 is full-lines. As brought out in FIG. 3 the arms 18 and 19 are in relatively close spaced-apart parallelism. When the cuff portions are brought up between the surfaces 24 of the jaws and pressure is forcibly exerted on the trippable trigger means 54 and 52, the crank-like latch is rocked. or pivoted from the position shown in FIG. 3 to that shown in FIG. 4. Consequently, the depending crank arm 48 will spread the arms 18 and 19 apart and the lugs or, detents 27 and 28 will be separated or disengaged and spring means will come into play to ciampingly engage the jaws 22 and 23 with the cuff por- ,tions of the trousers.

It is believed that a careful consideration of the description in conjunction with the views of the drawing will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the invention, the features and advantages, and the advantageous mode of use thereof. Consequently, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary. a v

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed. a

What is claimed asnew is as follows:

1. A garment hanger comprising a hanger provided with a pair of companion legs interconnected at upper ends and having lower ends provided with turned inspaced parallel jaw actuating arms, said armsdisposed in a plane generally common to the planeof the respective. legs with which they are connected, a pair of opposed face of one of said arms, a second lug fixed on a corresponding opposed inward lengthwise surface of the other arm, said lugs constituting detents, releasably abutting rarily set and hold said legs together and said jaws in a normal spaced apart relationship, an arm spreading detent releasing latch having a vertical limb disposed in the space between said arms, said latch having an upper end pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on support means provided therefor on at least one of said arms and permitting said vertical limb to pivot and swing in a vertical plane about said horizontal axis, said limb having a portion depending below the level of said arms, and a substantially L-shaped trigger for moving and tripping said latch disposed in a horizontal plane at right angles to the plane of said vertical latch limb and occupying a position between inwardly disposed surfaces of said jaws and adapted to be contacted by the manually lifted garment in a manner to lift the trigger, to impart pivotal movement to said latch and to cause the latch to act on and spread said arms apart in a manner to disengage and release the detents and to, in. this manner, allow said jaws to assume garment clamping relationship.

2. A garment hanger comprising a hanger provided with a pair of companion legs interconnected at upper ends and having lower ends provided with turned in spaced parallel jaw actuating arms, said arms disposed in a plane generally common to the plane of the respective legs with which they. are connected, a pair of opposed garment clamping jaws disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axes of said leg-s, said arms having free terminal ends rigidlyjoined'to their respective jaws, spring means functioning to bias said legs normally in a direction away from each other and, at the same time, said jaws normally in a direction toward each other, and a first lug fixed on a median lengthwise inwardly facing surface of one of said arms, asecond lug fixed on a corresponding opposed inward lengthwise surface of the other arm, said lugs constituting detents, releasably abutting each other thereof journaled for rotation in said bearing means and also embodying a vertical portion depending below said shield and interposed and spaced between said arms, said vertical portion being provided at the bottom thereof with a substantially L-shaped trig'ger disposed in a horizontal plane at right angles to the plane of said vertical latch limb and functioning to move and trip said latch and occupying a position betweeninwardly disposed surfaces of the aforementioned jaws and adapted to be contacted by the manually lifted garment in a manner 'to lift the trigger, to impart pivotal motion tothe latch, to disengage the detents to permit the jaws to function.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 and in combination,

'a substantially U-shap'ed meinber'constituting ashield and embodying a bight portion-"and upperand lower limb portions, said bight portion'embracing and being fixed to a median portion of one'of the aforementioned arms, the limb portions of saidshield spanning the space between said arms and straddling said arms and being disposed in alignment with and enclosing the aforementioned detents, the aforementioned upper end of said latch being pivotally mounted on bearingears provided therefor on the upper limb of said shield. 4. A garment hanger. comprising an inverted generally I-shaped expansible spring embodying a pair of upwardly converging legs interconnected at upper ends thereof by way of a coil spring, said spring being provided with'a support hook, said legs having lower ends thereof provided with turned in parallel spaced arms and said arms l l l wise side surface of one of said arms, a second lug fixed on a corresponding but an opposed inward lengthwise surface of the other arm, said lugs constituting detents and releasably abutting each other and serving to retain said legs in i a direction toward each other and said jaws in normal spaced apart relationship, a latch having a vertical limb disposed in the space between said arms, having an upper end pivotally mounted on support means provided therefor on at least one of said arms and permitting said vertical limb to swing in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis, said vertical limb having a portion depending below the level or said arms, and a substantially L -shaped trigger disposed in ahorizontal plane at right angles to the plane of said vertical latch limb and occupying a position between inwardly disposed surfaces of'said jaws and adaptedto be contacted by the garment in a manner to impart pivotal motion to the latch thus causing the latch to spread the arms apart and release the detents whereby to allow said jaws to spring together and thus to assume garment clamping relationship. 7

5. The structure defined in claim 4 and in combination, a sheath-like shield generally U-shaped in end elevation and having a bight portion embracing and fixed to one of said arms and having limb portions straddling both arms and disposed in alignment with and substantially concealing and enclosing the aforementioned detents.

6. The structure defined in claim 5 and wherein said shield is provided with a pair of upstanding spaced parallel ears having bearings, an upper portion of said latch embodying a crank portion with a horizontal limb thereof journaled for rotation in said bearings and also having a depending vertical portion positioned between the aforementioned juxtaposed arms, and vertical portion being provided at the bottom thereof with a laterally disposed pressure responsive trippable trigger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,022,295 Bowman Apr. 2, 1912 2,792,979 Cole May 21, 1957 2,889,094 Vigor June 2, 1959 3,050,222 Cates Aug. 21, 1962 

1. A GARMENT HANGER COMPRISING A HANGER PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF COMPANION LEGS INTERCONNECTED AT UPPER ENDS AND HAVING LOWER ENDS PROVIDED WITH TURNED IN SPACED PARALLEL JAW ACTUATING ARMS, SAID ARMS DISPOSED IN A PLANE GENERALLY COMMON TO THE PLANE OF THE RESPECTIVE LEGS WITH WHICH THEY ARE CONNECTED, A PAIR OF OPPOSED GARMENT CLAMPING JAWS DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXES OF SAID LEGS, SAID ARMS HAVING FREE TERMINAL ENDS RIGIDLY JOINED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE JAWS, SPRING MEANS FUNCTIONING TO BIAS SAID LEGS NORMALLY IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND, AT THE SAME TIME, SAID JAWS NORMALLY IN A DIRECTION TOWARD EACH OTHER, A FIRST LUG FIXED ON A MEDIAN LENGTHWISE INWARDLY FACING SURFACE OF ONE OF SAID ARMS, A SECOND LUG FIXED ON A CORRESPONDING OPPOSED INWARD LENGTHWISE SURFACE OF THE OTHER ARM, SAID LUGS CONSTITUTING DETENTS, RELEASABLY ABUTTING EACH OTHER WHEN IN A SET POSITION AND SERVING TO TEMPORARILY SET AND HOLD SAID LEGS TOGETHER AND SAID JAWS IN A NORMAL SPACED APART RELATIONSHIP, AN ARM SPREADING DETENT RELEASING LATCH HAVING A VERTICAL LIMB DISPOSED IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID ARMS, SAID LATCH HAVING AN UPPER END PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS ON SUPPORT MEANS PROVIDED THEREFOR ON AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ARMS AND PERMITTING SAID VERTICAL LIMB TO PIVOT AND SWING IN A VERTICAL PLANE ABOUT SAID HORIZONTAL AXIS, SAID LIMB HAVING A PORTION DEPENDING BELOW THE LEVEL OF SAID ARMS, AND A SUBSTANTIALLY L-SHAPED TRIGGER FOR MOVING AND TRIPPING SAID LATCH DISPOSED IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE PLANE OF SAID VERTICAL LATCH LIMB AND OCCUPYING A POSITION BETWEEN INWARDLY DISPOSED SURFACES OF SAID JAWS AND ADAPTED TO BE CONTACTED BY THE MANUALLY LIFTED GARMENT IN A MANNER TO LIFT THE THE TRIGGER, TO IMPART PIVOTAL MOVEMENT TO SAID LATCH AND TO CAUSE THE LATCH TO ACT ON AND SPREAD SAID ARMS APART IN A MANNER TO DISENGAGE AND RELEASE THE DETENTS AND TO, IN THIS MANNER, ALLOW SAID JAWS TO ASSUME GARMENT CLAMPING RELATIONSHIP. 